Sesamin and sesamolin, antioxidant lipidsoluble lignan compounds, are abundant in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed oil and provide oxidative stability of oil related to sesame quality. The sesamin and sesamolin contents of 403 sesame land races of Korea were determined by HPLC analysis of methanol extract (HPLC value), and their total lignan content was compared with those by using UV-Vis spectrophotometric analysis (UV method) of methanol (UV-MeOH value) and hexane (UV-Hexane value) extracts. HPLC values of total lignan content were strongly associated with UV-Hexane (r=0.705**) and UV-MeOH (r=0.811**) values. The UV values from both the extracts were 3.8-4.7 times higher than those of HPLC values. Lignan content was overestimated by UV method because total compounds in the mixture solution were quantified by absorbing at the same ultraviolet wavelength as in HPLC method. UV method could more rapidly analyze small amount of sample with higher sensitivity of detection than HPLC method. Average contents of lignans in sesame germplasm evaluated in this study were 2.09~pm1.02mg/g of sesamin, and 1.65~pm0.61mg/g of sesamolin, respectively, showing significant variation for lignan components. The results showed that UV method for the determination of sesamin and sesamolin could be practically used as a faster and easier method than HPLC by using the regression equations developed in this study

• Kwan-Su Kim
• Jung-Ro Lee
• Joon-Seol Lee